Direction signal



Nov. 16, 1937. B. A. cRENsHAW- 2,099,331

y l DIRECTION SIGNAL Filed Aug. ze, .1935 2 sheets-sheet-'I fa INTAKE 4NOV. 16,1937. y B, A, CRENSHAW v 2,099,331

i DIRECTION SIGNAL Filed Aug. 26, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 frauen-fof: 5673/6072172 (Z @rf/ZQM H eax 1 lPatented Nov. 16, 1937 eraan DIRECTION SIGNAL Benjamin A. Crenshaw, deceased, late of Chicago, Ill., by-Thomas C. Crenshaw, executor, Chicago, Ill., assigner, by -mesne assignments, to Steve v Kalisz, Chicago, Ill.

Application August 26, 1935, serial No. 37,899 iclaim. (o1. rdv- 329)l This invention relates to directionsignals such asare adapted foruseonautomobiles and'other vehicles toindicate -when the driver of the vehicle intends to turn. The. signals are soarranged as to be readily visible from both the front and rear of the vehicle and will prove to be of great utility to drivers of other vehicles or pedestrians.

The present invention is designed as an improvement von the direction signal disclosed in Patent No. 1,836,705 granted December 15, 1931 to B. A. Crenshaw.

The object ofthe present invention is the provision of a Vdirection signal which may be operated by the driver withv therninimum of Yeffort operation of the vehicle.

One of the features of the invention'is the provision of electric switches or buttons, readily accessible to the driver, and electromagnetic means controlled thereby for effecting the actuation of the signaling devices. It is believed these electric switches will preferably be mounted on the steeringl wheel although they would be practically operative if positioned in any convenient and accessible location. f

Another feature of the invention resides in the manner of carrying Athe electrical circuits from the switch buttons on theY steering wheel to the windings of the valve actuating electromagnets.

A still further feature of the invention resides in forming the signal as a hand of glass, preferably red in color, with an incandescent light bulb therein so that thesignal may be readily visible from both the front and the rear. If desired,fthe signals may be of'different colors on the opposite sides of the vehicle so as to indicate to an observer and without materially detracting attention from the direction the vehicle is traveling. V

One of such signaling hands will be "provided for each side of the car(4 These yhands will no1'- mally be retracted into housings, one at each side of the cowl, and the lights'in the hands will normally be deprived of current. kWhen, however, the driver wishes to signalr to indicate thathe is about to turn, a slight momentary pressure on the 0 appropriate switch button will cause the corresponding signal in the nature of a pointing hand to be projected from itsrhousing and the bulb therein supplied with current. 'i

As in the patent hereinbef'ore mentioned. the power necessary to project the signal is obtained from the vacuum or suction present in the intake manifold of the engine when it is running. When the turn has been made and the signal has served its purpose another actuation of the switch causes the signal to beV retracted andthe light extinguished. Y

It is believed the further de-scription of the inventicn will be understood most readily from a detailed description thereof `taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Y Fig.l r1 is a schematic layout showing the application of the invention toan automobile;

Fig. 2 is a view of the runderside of the steering Wheel showing the traveling contacts or commutator thereon;

Fig. 3 is a side view gof the' steering post and loV wheel of anautomobile showing the commutator attached thereto; and .Y f n y,

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration; of the contact rings of the 'commutator carried by the steerary'contacts orbrushes i'lxed to the steering post or other support.

Referring tothe drawings, in which like refering wheel and thefrelation thereto of lthe stationence characters indicate the same parts in the e several views, I-I represents portions of the cowl of an automobile at the oppositesidesthereof adjacent to the windshield. Mounted on the cowl I are the housings 2 which may be of vany desired.' design. If desired the housings 2 may be designed. as to projectbut a slight distance beyond the cowl; Fixed fto the inner side ofthe cowl I or adjacent thereto are the cylinders 3. Slidable within the cylinders 3 are pistons 4 to which are secured' the innerends of the rods or plungersl 5. To the outer ends of the plungers 4 are secured the signals 6; preferably made of glass in the form of a pointing hand. vWithin each of the glass hands 6 is an incandescent light bulb '7.

Tubes 8 and. 9 connect the opposite ends, respectively, of the cylinders 3 to appropriate valves Ill through the medium of which tubes 8 or 9 may be selectively joined to the pipe II which cornmunicates with the intake manifold of the automobile motor.

When one of the valves I0 is so operated as to connect its tube 8 to the pipe I I the corresponding piston 4 will be drawn tothe outerV end of its cylinder and the associated signal 6 will be forced outwardly beyond its housing V2 into signalingposition, as shown at the left in Fig. 1. When, however, a valve I 0 isV so operated as to join a tube 9 torpipe I I, the piston will be drawn inwardly and the corresponding signal returned to its housing, as shown at the right in Fig. l.

It is contemplated that certain electrical conductors and contacts will be provided so that the lamps 'l will be illuminated when the signal is extended and efaced when the signal is returned to ent above noted and forms no part of the present invention. Y 1

. The part of the invention thus far described in detail, except as to the glass hand and the electromagnetically operated valve, maybe similar to that disclosed in the said patent to which reference may beV madeV forV a fuller disclosure ofI a Y a mere touch by the driver of a button or key will cause the appropriate signal hand to Abe projected and illuminated, clearly indicating toobservers in both directions that a turn is about to beV After made and also the direction `of the turni the vturn has been made, another touchv o the button causes the signal to return to non-indicating position and the light eiiaced.V

For thepurpose of opera solenoids VI2 are provided, each solenoid having an armature or core I3 adaptedrto be drawn therethrough a winding I4 is interrupted the attractionV in when current is caused to flow through the coil I4 of the solenoid from the storage battery I5.

Each valve I@ has a central recess I6 with which the tubes 8, 9 and II communicate. VWhen the movable valve member I7 is rotated by the ener-V gization of a solenoid jwinding I4 it occupies a position such that tube 9 is blocked and tube 8 communicates with tube I I thus causing'the piston 4 to'move outwardly to display the signal, as tothe left in Fig. 1. When the Vflow of current of the core I3 terminates and an appropriate spring I8 acts to withdraw the core I3 from its solenoid I2 thus moving the valve member I'I Yto aposi-Y tion so that it causes tube 8 to beblocked and tube n to actuate the valve members I'I.

9 joined to tube II. The parts will now assume the positions shown at the right in Fig. l. It will be understood that each movable valv member I8 is provided withan operating arm I9 the outer end of which is joined to the outer end of the core or armature I3 through the -medium' of link 28. The retractile spring I8 also hasl one end secured to the end of arm I9.

The glass hands will be formed of colored glass preferably red,vat least'as to the one Vat one side of the vehicle. If desired the two signalhands at the opposite sides of the vehicle may be formed of glass of contrasting colors sorthat the direc-f' tion in which the vehicle is progressingand the direction of the turn about to be made can readily be told by an observer either in front of or be hind the car.

I will now describe the circuits and switches by means of which the solenoids I2 are energized Each of the solenoid windings I4 has one end joined by conductor'25'to the negative pole of storage battery I5. The other ends of coils I4 are joined by conductors 26 Vto appropriate .wipers or brushes ...i and 23, respectively, carried by the block 33 iixed to the steering post 29 by means of the arm it and clamping ring 32. Block 38'carries a third' From an inspection 'of Figs. 3 and 4' wiper 33. it will be noted that the brushes 2T, '28 and 33 are in wiping contact with the commutator rings 35, 36 and 31, respectively, which are mounted on the annular member 38 secured to the spokes 3S oi its housing. This, however, is shown in the Vpat-V the steering wheel by means of studs 4I. The middle commutatorring 31 is connected to the live pole of Vbattery I5 by means of Vconductor 42.

Mounted on or in opposite spokes 39 of the steering wheel 40 are electric switchesj45 and 46,

respectively. These switches may be of any desired kind. V.As switches of this character are eX- ceedir'igly old and well known it has not been Y thought to beadvisable to burden this application with a detailed description thereof.

The function of these switches and 46 is to provide readily accessible means for electrically joining at will either conductor 4l to its compa'nion Vconductor 48.

IV will say for Yillustration that key or switch 45'is thrown to operative position. A circuit will now extend from battery I5 over conductor 25 vthrough coil I4 at the right in Fig. 1, conductor 26,

, wiper 28 commutator ring 36, wire 48, switch 45,

wire V4l,Y commutator ring 31, wiper 33, and Vconductor 42 back to battery YThis will cause the energization of coil I4 at the rightV and the display Y of the right signal in a manner which will now be ting the valves E@ well understood. Y.

Inrlike manner, if the switch 46 is actuated a circuit will be formed from battery I5 through conductor 2,5, coil I4, at the left, wire 26, brush or wiper 2l, ring 35,'conductor 48, switch 46, conductor 41, ring 36, brush 33Yand conductor42 back to battery,A thus causing the vleft signal to be displayed. v

When one of the switches 45 or.46, after being actuated, is'returned to its normal or inoperative position the correspondingfcoil Ill becomes deenergized and spring I8 actsto move'the valve into a position to 'cause the signal to be retracted. VWhile in thepreferred embodiment 'of applicants inventiontheV controlling switches will pref erably be mounted on the steering wheel, it is to be understood that said switches may readily vbe Vmounted in other positions which will permit of Y their ready operation. It is also to be under-Y stood that many modifications of the details of the device herein disclosed are contemplated. The invention, therefore, should be limited only by the scope of the appended claim.V Y Having described the invention, what is claimed as newvand desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is: Y

The combination with j the pneumatic-'pressure causing means of an automobile, of a signal; a piston to projectY it, a cylinder for the piston, two pipes,oneV extending from each end of said cylin-v der, a valve'whose-throw in one Vdirection connects one pipe to the area subject toV pneumatic pressure and excludes the'A other and whose throw in the opposite direction connectsV the latter pipe and vexcludes the former, and the combination Ywith theelectricity producing means'of the auto-r mobile, of an electric circuit having an opening and closing switch'and a spring-opposed electromagnet 'combined with the combination, firststated above and characterizing it by the fact that it controls the valve of saidV combination so that when the saidrcircuit is closed the electromagnet operates the valve to project -the signal i by pneumatic pressureand when the circuit is' Vopened the spring reverses the position ofV the valve land causes pneumatic-pressure to retract the signal. THOMAS C. CRENSHAW, Eccecutor 0j the Last Will and Testament of Benjamin A. Crenshaw, Deceased. 

